National
India hopes to have world class infra in two decades: Jaitley
New Delhi, Nov 30 (IANS) Expressing hope that India will be able to create “world class infrastructure” in another 20 years, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday said that his confidence in the timeline was based on how the country has become an “aspirational society” whose energies have been unleashed by the 1991 economic liberalisation.
Delivering the annual Defence Estates Day Lecture here, Jaitley said that in the quest for economic growth which would help improve the Indian state’s resources, the country hoped to gradually come up to the level of a middle-income nation as defined by multilateral agencies.
“In the next two decades, hopefully, India will be able to say that it has developed infrastructure, which is as good as anywhere in the world,” Jaitley said.
Noting that pre-1991, the country’s regulated economy and the “very modest rate of growth” did not permit much public spending on infrastructure, he said the situation had changed and “India today has the ability to afford world class infrastructure”.
“Post the liberalisation of 1991, we were able to unleash the energy and potential of the Indian economy. India has standardised itself to a growth rate of seven to eight per cent and is now a nearly $2.5 trillion economy,” the Finance Minister said.
Coupled with this, Indian society has become aspirational and supported reforms such as Aadhaar, demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) — all of which are promoting greater formalisation and digitisation of the economy and, therefore, greater resources for the state, he said.
Declaring that investment in infrastructure is essential for growth and attracting foreign investment, Jaitley said that success areas in infrastructure like highways, airports and roads are where private investment has come in and consumers are willing to pay for use of the infrastructure.
“It is a virtuous circle… without infrastructure, foreign investors will not come, so there is need to invest in this sector,” he said.
“In Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, for instance, private ports have become more efficient and commercially viable than major ports. The Shipping Ministry now lets out berths to major private sector players,” he added.
–IANS
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National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.